ATMO 201 EXAM 2 STUDY GUIDE
categories clouds are most generally classified by - Answer --High Clouds - above
20,000 ft (6000m)
-middle clouds - between 6500 and 23,000 ft (2000 & 7000 m)
-low clouds - below 6500 ft (2000m)
-clouds with vertical development
High clouds - Answer --Cirrus(Ci)
-Cirrocumulus(Cc)
-Cirrostratus(Cs)
Middle Clouds - Answer --Altocumulus(Ac)
-Altostratus(As)
Low clouds - Answer --Nimbostratus(Ns)
-Stratocumulus(Sc)
-Stratus(St)
clouds with vertical development - Answer --Cumulus(Cu)
-Cumulonimbus(Cb)
characteristics of Cirrus(Ci) - Answer --thin, wispy clouds blown by high winds into long
streamers called "MARES' TAILS"
-can look into a white, feathery patch with a faint wisp of a tail at one hand
-usually move across the sky from west to east, indicating the prevailing winds at their
elevation
characteristics of Cirrocumulus(Cc) - Answer --seen less frequently than cirrus
-appear as small rounded white puffs that may occur individually or in long rows
-when in rows, clouds have a rippling appearance
-seldom cover more than a portion of the sky
-reflects the red or yellow light of a setting, making this one of the most beautiful of all
clouds
-"mackerel sky"
characteristics of Cirrostratus(Cs) - Answer --thin, sheet-like high clouds that often
cover the entire sky
-are so thin that the sun and moon can be clearly seen thru them
-ice crystals in these clouds bend the light passing thru them and will often produce a
halo around the sun or moon
-give the sky a glary white appearance and frequently form ahead advancing ahead of
an advancing mid-latitude cyclonic storm
-can be used to predict rain or snow within 12 to 24 hours
, characteristics of Altocumulus - Answer --middle clouds that appear gray, puffy
masses, sometimes rolled out in parallel waves or bands
-usually one part of the cloud is darker than another
-clouds are rounded masses or rolls present
-clouds look like "little castles" in the sky
-appearance of this cloud on a warm, humid summer morning often portends
thunderstorms and the possibility of severe weather by late afternoon
-size of thumbnail
characteristics of Altostratus(As) - Answer --a gray or blue cloud that often covers the
entire sky over an area that extends over many hundreds of square kilometers.
in thinner section of cloud, sun or moon may be dimly visible as a round dis, "watery
sun"
- determined if there are no shadows on the ground
Nimbostratus(Ns) - Answer --dark gray, "wet"- looking cloud layer associated with more
or less continuously falling rain or snow
-can't see the sun or moon thru a layer of this cloud
Stratocumulus(Sc) - Answer --low, lumpy cloud layer
- appears in rows, patches, or as rounded masses with blue sky visible between the
indiv. cloud elements
-color ranges from light to dark gray
-has a lower base and larger indiv. cloud elements
-size of fist
-rain or snow rarely falls from these clouds
Stratus(St) - Answer --uniform grayish cloud that often covers the entire sky
-resembles a fog that does NOT reach the ground
-normally no precip. falls from stratus, but can be accompanied by a light mist or drizzle
-commonly occurs over pacific and atlantic coastal waters in summer
Cumulus(Cu) - Answer --Most often it looks like a piece of floating cotton with sharp
outlines and a flat base
-base appears white to light gray
-top of cloud, often in the form of rounded towers, denotes the limit of rising air and is
usually not very high
-cloud has a dome or tower shaped top
Cumulonimbus(Cb) - Answer --thunderstorm cloud
-dark base
-may contain all forms of precipitation, raindrops, snowflakes, snow pellets and
sometimes hailstones
-lightening, thunder and even tornadoes are associated with this type of cloud
categories clouds are most generally classified by - Answer --High Clouds - above
20,000 ft (6000m)
-middle clouds - between 6500 and 23,000 ft (2000 & 7000 m)
-low clouds - below 6500 ft (2000m)
-clouds with vertical development
High clouds - Answer --Cirrus(Ci)
-Cirrocumulus(Cc)
-Cirrostratus(Cs)
Middle Clouds - Answer --Altocumulus(Ac)
-Altostratus(As)
Low clouds - Answer --Nimbostratus(Ns)
-Stratocumulus(Sc)
-Stratus(St)
clouds with vertical development - Answer --Cumulus(Cu)
-Cumulonimbus(Cb)
characteristics of Cirrus(Ci) - Answer --thin, wispy clouds blown by high winds into long
streamers called "MARES' TAILS"
-can look into a white, feathery patch with a faint wisp of a tail at one hand
-usually move across the sky from west to east, indicating the prevailing winds at their
elevation
characteristics of Cirrocumulus(Cc) - Answer --seen less frequently than cirrus
-appear as small rounded white puffs that may occur individually or in long rows
-when in rows, clouds have a rippling appearance
-seldom cover more than a portion of the sky
-reflects the red or yellow light of a setting, making this one of the most beautiful of all
clouds
-"mackerel sky"
characteristics of Cirrostratus(Cs) - Answer --thin, sheet-like high clouds that often
cover the entire sky
-are so thin that the sun and moon can be clearly seen thru them
-ice crystals in these clouds bend the light passing thru them and will often produce a
halo around the sun or moon
-give the sky a glary white appearance and frequently form ahead advancing ahead of
an advancing mid-latitude cyclonic storm
-can be used to predict rain or snow within 12 to 24 hours
, characteristics of Altocumulus - Answer --middle clouds that appear gray, puffy
masses, sometimes rolled out in parallel waves or bands
-usually one part of the cloud is darker than another
-clouds are rounded masses or rolls present
-clouds look like "little castles" in the sky
-appearance of this cloud on a warm, humid summer morning often portends
thunderstorms and the possibility of severe weather by late afternoon
-size of thumbnail
characteristics of Altostratus(As) - Answer --a gray or blue cloud that often covers the
entire sky over an area that extends over many hundreds of square kilometers.
in thinner section of cloud, sun or moon may be dimly visible as a round dis, "watery
sun"
- determined if there are no shadows on the ground
Nimbostratus(Ns) - Answer --dark gray, "wet"- looking cloud layer associated with more
or less continuously falling rain or snow
-can't see the sun or moon thru a layer of this cloud
Stratocumulus(Sc) - Answer --low, lumpy cloud layer
- appears in rows, patches, or as rounded masses with blue sky visible between the
indiv. cloud elements
-color ranges from light to dark gray
-has a lower base and larger indiv. cloud elements
-size of fist
-rain or snow rarely falls from these clouds
Stratus(St) - Answer --uniform grayish cloud that often covers the entire sky
-resembles a fog that does NOT reach the ground
-normally no precip. falls from stratus, but can be accompanied by a light mist or drizzle
-commonly occurs over pacific and atlantic coastal waters in summer
Cumulus(Cu) - Answer --Most often it looks like a piece of floating cotton with sharp
outlines and a flat base
-base appears white to light gray
-top of cloud, often in the form of rounded towers, denotes the limit of rising air and is
usually not very high
-cloud has a dome or tower shaped top
Cumulonimbus(Cb) - Answer --thunderstorm cloud
-dark base
-may contain all forms of precipitation, raindrops, snowflakes, snow pellets and
sometimes hailstones
-lightening, thunder and even tornadoes are associated with this type of cloud
